1. Technical Field
The present disclosure relates generally to communications in shared access networks, and more specifically to communications in cable networks.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a shared access network, one or more shared access communication channels are used to transmit information between a network hub and a plurality of network nodes. One type of shared access network is a cable network. In a cable network, a plurality of cable modems (“CMs”) may communicate with one or more network components associated with the head end of a cable network via one or more shared access channels. Various embodiments of cable networks may be configured according to one or more Data-Over-Cable Service Interface Specification (“DOCSIS”) standards, such as, for example, the Data-Over-Cable Service Interface Specification CM-SP-MULPIv3.0-I02-061222 (herein referenced as “DOCSIS 3.0”), available from CableLabs.com (Cable Television Laboratories, Inc. in Louisville, Colo.), hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety for all purposes.
Additional details relating to various aspects of cable network technology are described in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/167,168, by Pawel, et al., entitled “MAP MESSAGE EXPEDIENCY MONITORING AND AUTOMATIC DELAY ADJUSTMENTS IN M-CMTS”, filed 2 Jul. 2008, the entirety of which is incorporated herein by reference for all purposes.
Recent advances in RF technology have enabled Cable Modems to receive and send data on multiple RF channels. The new generation of cable modems hence can receive data at rates up to 200 Mbps. DOCSIS 3.0 standardized multi-channel data transmission with a concept of “Bonding Group”. A single data stream for a cable modem (herein referred to as CM) could be sent on a single Bonding Group (herein referred to as BG), spanning multiple RF channels. At the same time a single RF channel may be shared by multiple Bonding Groups. Such associations of Bonding Groups and/or RF channels makes packet scheduling with Quality of Service assurances very complex.